#24 Jeff Gordon '97 Monte Carlo

[W-409]

Here is my new project. This is bought from Daytona Beach, Florida, just next to the Speedway. The kit is nice, I hope these parts are fitting better to each other than AMT's model, it was horrible... I'm trying to build it as nice as I can, let's have a see, how this thing turns out...

Let's take a fast look to the body first. It looks quite good, but the rear end of it is first in mind. There are two molding seams (?) both sides of the spoiler. They must be removed. I took 600 roughness sandpaper and after few minutes, there were nothing. But be careful to not sand details from the body. Then it's time to move on to panel lines. They need to be graved. I took Trumpeter's panel scriber and graved panel lines of trunk and that one line, which goes on rear bumber. Got it?

This is the kit:

And here you can see the seam, which must be removed...

Removed

Trumpeter panel scriber:

After the body, and rear end of it, I moved on to the tires. Body needs still more work but now I wanted to make tires to look more realistic. On the track of the tires, there goes seam. It needs to be removed. So roughness 400 sandpaper, and I sanded the track of these slicks and now it looks good, like used. But the sides of tires are still too glossy. I have tried to polish some tires, and they are pretty good, but now I thought that sanding off 600 paper would look good. And it looks good, just be careful to not sand tire textes off at the same time. Now I have two tires ready for painting textes, but I think, I make rest two ready to it first.

Sanded and original tire

One picture in the next post...

[W-409]

I also painted "CHEVROLET" textes from the valve covers. I used toothpick and red enamel paint. Came out pretty good, now I must do some more engine work, and of couse body isn't ready yet, so lots of work before thinking of going to primer this one...

Comments and tips etc are welcome!

EDIT: Those valve covers are lookin' really bad with a supermacro picture, better in live. Don't believe? Come on here to watch!

Edited February 27, 2011 by W-409

[highway]

Niko, one tip I have to offer you, even though you might not want to worry about it since you already painted the "Chevrolet" on them, but you really wouldn't find chrome valve covers on the real cars. They are usually aluminum, Revell just chromes them for the added "flash", there is actually very little or no chromed parts on a real NASCAR.

[dwc43]

That's true, Highway. And most have cast in or machined script instead of raise letters on them too.

[W-409]

Yes, that's true. But I think, I want to leave those valve covers chromed, or maybe I paint them with polished aluminium. Then it's possible to remove paint from the raised letters... Thank you for the tip. This is fun build but now I haven't done eny progress, because of the school, I have lots of work right now. Today I got little time and I worked with Roadsport V8 Corvette, but maybe tomorrow?

[W-409]

I'll get back to this one tomorrow, I think. I must paint those chrome parts silver. Then I can continue building the engine, body needs still lots of work etc... Stay tuned for the update, coming on later this week....!

[W-409]

I continued with this one... Underside of the body was bad, there were many ejector marks, big, round and quite deep. So I decided to put some putty there. I used Green Putty again. It needs some sanding and then I must finish the body from outside too. There are not so many places to sand anymore. I started the engine work too. I painted valve covers, cylinder heads and intake manifold with silver, now they are looking much more realistic. Oil pan needs some work and few other parts needs to be finished, then I can start wiring the engine.

[W-409]

I started to install spark plug wires, but I'm in trouble. I need some reference shots from spark plug wires. I don't know, where they are going in 1:1 car. Reference shots must be from a car, where are that kind of valve covers. Of course it doesn't matter is there Chevrolet text or not, but otherwise they must be quite same looking than these. Need to continue of sanding the body too, but that plug wire problem is now on the first place.

[JTRACING]

I started to install spark plug wires, but I'm in trouble. I need some reference shots from spark plug wires. I don't know, where they are going in 1:1 car. Reference shots must be from a car, where are that kind of valve covers. Of course it doesn't matter is there Chevrolet text or not, but otherwise they must be quite same looking than these. Need to continue of sanding the body too, but that plug wire problem is now on the first place.

those are heat shields attached on the valve cover. they have slots in them for the wires to pass through, and other times they just run the wires underneath them.

[W-409]

Thousands of thanks to you, Jim! Excellent picture, I didn't find any. Now I can continue the engine building and wiring, there is an update coming later, so stay tuned for more.

[dwc43]

I noticed that Ford engine only has one slot on each side. The Chevy usually has two on each side. They go right between the two cylinders in the front and between the two cylinders in the back since the plugs are between the first and second pipe header tube on the front and between the second to last and last header tube in the rear. If you look close at your covers,there appears to be a circle or indent in two places that can be drilled out to let the wires go through the shield.

[W-409]

That's true, Colin. I drilled already four holes on each side, because I think, that they are looking better with four different holes. I think, that engine is going to be so full of stuff, when finished that those plug wires aren't the most important thing.

[dwc43]

I think, that engine is going to be so full of stuff, when finished that those plug wires aren't the most important thing.

That's true if you do a full detail on it. After all, just check out the pic of the Ford engine and all the stuff draped over and around it.

[Danno]

Good start. Great reference pic!

Good luck.

[W-409]

Ignition wires are finished now. The distributor, which came with the kit, had plastic ignition wires moulded. I removed them and I drilled four holes each side the distributor, four holes to valve cover's heat shields. Then I drilled holes to the cylinder heads. The wires are made from Scale Dreams' stuff, it fits fine and those wires are looking quite good to me. And I have a question. Do they use thermo tech in those headers? If they do, how could I simulate that material in this scale? Any help would be appreciated.

[dwc43]

If you are asking about the header wrap, yes they do. Use it on more than just headers too. Try the no glue type medical tape that only sticks to itself. And just paint it dark tan or black. I have some, but it's green from the factory.

[W-409]

I haven't tried to simulate the header wrap yet, but I'm going to try. I'm going to start detailing the engine bit more, maybe tomorrow. Today, I got the oil pan painted. Starter and that other part, they are painted gloss black, and fuel pump and oil pan is silver. Some detail painting still left... Also sanded the putties, I put on the ejector marks of the body. I might put some more putty there, but now I'm moving to the "right side" of the body. I'm making really slow progress with this, but don't know, why... It's really interesting subject but maybe I just have too many projects same time.

Edited July 5, 2011 by W-409

[W-409]

If anyone has pictures of these lines on the engine, please post one. I'd like to see them from this, same side as in the picture, below. But the picture should be taken from the sideview... I have made two of those lines now, but still few to go. Can't continue before I see a picture. I didn't find any, but I keep looking for. But if you find one, please post it. It would be very helpful. I'm not so great NASCAR expert, that I could say, how are those in 1:1 car...

THE PICTURE:

[W-409]

Just a little update. Did some bodywork on this one. I sanded the hole thing, so every mold seam doesn't matter anymore. Also there were lots of mold flash in fender flares, window openings etc. I removed them all with hobby knife, and finished with sandpaper. Just next to the headlights, there were some mold flash. That needed bit more sanding, but now it looks alright to me and I hope that they can't bee seen when the primer is on. Also put some putty to the body, just a little more sanding, and I'm ready for first primer coat.

AND I still need a picture of Nascar engine, where those lines can be seen. (My earlier post). I can't finish them at this week, but on the next week, I'll be back with this one, maybe. But I have done two of those lines, and I did some test fitting with them, so they fit. The little silver part, where I glued them, is made from Coca Cola can aluminium, which is pretty good stuff for modeling. I've built some parts from it, and works fine.

Awful mold seam- needs to be sanded away!

Just sanded it with 600 grid paper.

Removed all of the mold flash from fender flares...(?)

[coreyh29645]

i think i have the pics your looking for at home. i'll try and remember to look tonight.

[John Teresi]

Niko......very nice start.......look`s GREAT!!!!!

[coreyh29645]

ok here are the pics i have. these were taken in 2003. hope this helps

[Toast]

Nice progress. Taking the time to smooth out those mold lines on the body is a pain but will make the body look so much better in the end. And the engine progress is looking good. I've never been brave enough to plum an engine.

[Danno]

Good job getting rid of the ejector pin marks and mold lines!!! Too many 'modelers' skip those steps and wonder later why their builds look sloppy.

[W-409]

Thanks, Corey for the pictures! They help a lot. Got to continue this build soon, those pics are great. Thanks for the comments, John, Ryan and Danno! Those mold lines and ejector marks are looking bad, and that's why I'll remove them... I'm not so happy with some of my older builds, where are the mold seams and ejector marks... Ryan, the engine plumbing takes some time, but it looks good when finished. It's really worth trying.